Consciousness and Cognition
September 22, 2021
Alessio Matiz, C. Crescentini, M. Bergamasco et al.
The brains of two people meditating together in the same room show different patterns of electrical activity compared to when they meditate alone in separate rooms. Expert meditator couples performed mindfulness-oriented meditation and instructed mind-wandering tasks either in the same room or in different rooms while EEG was recorded. Gamma brainwave activity was higher in limbic areas during mindfulness meditation performed together versus alone, an effect not explained by gender, age, or meditation expertise. Theta and alpha activity also differed between conditions in temporo-occipital regions. The findings suggest that the social context of shared meditation alters brain function in ways specific to mindfulness practice.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
September 21, 2021
Susanna Feruglio, Alessio Matiz, G. Pagnoni et al.
A systematic review of 24 studies examined how Mindfulness Meditation (MM) affects mind wandering (MW). Most pre-post intervention studies showed that at least two weeks of MM practice reduced MW and limited its negative effects on cognitive tasks. Cross-sectional studies found that expert meditators reported less MW and showed decreased Default Mode Network activity during meditation and at rest compared to non-meditators. The reviewed studies varied widely in design, outcome measures, and interventions. The authors call for further research to replicate findings and explore how meditation influences the qualitative characteristics of MW.
Journal of Trauma & Dissociation
June 2, 2021
Fabio D’Antoni, Susanna Feruglio, Alessio Matiz et al.
A 7-week Mindfulness Oriented Meditation (MOM) training reduced dissociative tendencies, increased dispositional mindfulness, and improved interoceptive awareness (not-worrying, self-regulation, body listening) in healthy adults compared to a waiting-list control group. Greater increases in mindfulness skills correlated with greater reductions in dissociation and improvements in interoceptive awareness. More home meditation practice was linked to larger gains in mindfulness skills. The findings suggest mindfulness meditation may cultivate voluntary processes that provide psychological safety and integration, contrasting with the involuntary nature of dissociation.
Psychology and Health
October 23, 2020
Susanna Feruglio, Alessio Matiz, A. Grecucci et al.
Different mindfulness techniques produce distinct effects on mental rumination and time perspective. In an 8-week study, 75 healthy young adults were assigned to mindful breathing, body scan, observing-thoughts meditation, or an active control group. All meditation groups improved mindfulness skills more than the control group. Mindful breathing specifically reduced brooding and increased a positive view of the future compared to the other techniques. These differential effects suggest that tailoring meditation practices could enhance interventions aimed at reducing maladaptive thinking and fostering optimism.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
September 1, 2020
Alessio Matiz, F. Fabbro, Andrea Paschetto et al.
An 8-week Mindfulness-Oriented Meditation (MOM) course improved anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion, psychological well-being, interoceptive awareness, and mindfulness in Italian female teachers during the Covid-19 lockdown. Teachers with low baseline resilience showed greater improvements in depression and psychological well-being than those with high resilience. The findings suggest mindfulness training can help mitigate pandemic-related psychological distress, especially for more vulnerable individuals.